Metal rods are employed to stabilize a patient's spine when suitably attached to the spine. Fasteners are attached to the spine and the rod can be attached to the fasteners to span a vertebrae or two and thereby support the spanned vertebrae. It is important the rods be of precise lengths for the patient and the spanned vertebrae.
Heretofore, rod cutters enclosed the rod to be cut and then the precise location of the rod in the cutter was not known. Thus the precise length of the cut was not readily and easily known.
Also, previous rod cutters have only a fixed handle length, so only one torque arm is available on those cutters, and thus there is only limited cutting force. If a heavy rod were to be cut, the length of the cutter arms might not produce sufficient torque, at least not for all users with different arm strengths.
This invention also provides for measuring and detecting the precise length of rod cutting and for lengthening the handles for necessary cutting torque. This is accomplished in an easily adjustable cutter arrangement and method. The handle can be lengthened with only a axial pull thereon, though it is releasably secured in a set length prior and after the lengthening pull.
Further, the precision for cutting the rod to a required length is accomplished by a ready and easily applied structure and method.